


The Spark

by idrilhadhafang



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Age Changes, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Role Reversal, Amputation, Badass Finn, Badass Poe Dameron, Canon-Typical Violence, Captain Armitage Hux, Competent Finn, Conflicted Kylo Ren, Creepy Snoke (Star Wars), Enforcer Kylo Ren, Evil Snoke, F/M, Force-Sensitive Poe Dameron, Gen, General Phasma - Freeform, Jedi Finn, Knight Kylo Ren, Kylo Ren and Finn are related, Loss of Limbs, M/M, Pilot Finn, Pilot Poe Dameron, Pilot Rey, Protective Finn, Protective Poe Dameron, Protective Rey (Star Wars), Scavenger Poe Dameron, Snoke Being a Dick, Stormtrooper Armitage Hux, Stormtrooper Rey, Torture
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-11
Updated: 2018-10-21
Packaged: 2019-07-29 08:23:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 9,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16260389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilhadhafang/pseuds/idrilhadhafang
Summary: Poe Dameron was used to his life on Jakku struggling to survive. He never dreamed that in finding a droid, BB-6, Jedi Finn Skywalker and an ex-stormtrooper, Rey, he would have an adventure beyond what he ever imagined.





	1. Tuanul

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. 
> 
> Author’s Notes: Let’s say I saw this amazing GIFset on Tumblr with the intriguing idea of Hux as the scavenger, Rey as the stormtrooper, etc.: http://armltagehux.tumblr.com/post/175871243606/star-wars-the-force-awakens-partial-cast
> 
> Basically, a lightbulb went off and I thought I could write yet another scavenger Poe fic. The maker of the original GIFset was fortunately kind enough to let me use that idea — thank you so much!

“Soldiers of the First Order, today truly is a glorious day! We are ever closer to finding the map that will end the long-existing thorn in the First Order’s side, Luke Skywalker!”

Captain Armitage Hux faced his soldiers in that moment, his face hidden beneath a chrome helmet, but it doing nothing to stop the sheer fervor of his speech. RA-2000 listened intently; she had grown up with Hux’s speeches, and though they may have seemed ridiculous to outsiders, there was something about the sheer amount of conviction in his voice that was enough to awe RA-2000 even despite herself. Horrifying. Sublime. That was what Hux was, and she couldn’t help but watch him. 

Hux continued. “Today as you go out into the battlefield, you are no longer merely trainees. You are soldiers! You are instruments of the First Order’s will, you are instruments of _order_. You will find the last piece of the map to Skywalker, and you will be instrumental in achieving peace.”

The other stormtroopers saluted. RA-2000 didn’t, but she knew that she was willing to do whatever it could if it meant keeping others safe from Skywalker. She was more of a melee girl than a blaster girl, but she could still handle herself in a fight. She could also pilot. She’d trained for a lot ever since she was in the First Order, and now she was going to have a chance to prove herself on the battlefield. 

At last, a chance! 

It was in that moment that Slip turned to look at her. “Excellent speech, wasn’t it, Rey?” he said. “Our Captain has a way with words.”

”He does.” Rey was the nickname that Slip had given her while in the training corps. She adopted it, kept it in private where Hux couldn’t see. She could swear that her birth name was Kira, but even that was just a foggy memory. It was nothing really concrete. 

She could hope that she could do well on her mission, if possible. 

***

”This will soon begin to make things right.”

Even as Lor San Tekka closed Finn Skywalker’s hand over the last piece of the map, Finn could tell that it was indeed the case. He could only hope. His father had been away for too long, actually. It was enough to make Finn wonder why; the galaxy needed him, and he simply wasn’t there...

”I’ve traveled too far,” said Tekka, “And seen too much despair in the galaxy. Without the Jedi, there can be no balance in the Force.”

”You probably just gave me my father back, Lor. And for that, thank you.”

Lor San Tekka smiled. “It’s what anyone would have done.”

It was then that BB-6 rolled in. Ben had built BB-6 for both of them when they were only kids. That was before he’d ultimately stabbed them all in the back. And to think he called Finn a traitor. BB-6 beeped urgently. 

“Oh stars...” Finn turned to Tekka. “They’ve found us. We have to run.”

If the First Order got ahold of the map to his father...stars only knew what would happen. 

“Go!” Tekka said, and Finn ran towards the X-wing that he’d rented just for occasions like this. Getting the map to safety was top priority. 

Even as stormtroopers flooded Jakku, setting fire to huts, cornering civilians with their blasters, Finn felt sick. The best he could do was at least try and stop the bloodshed. 

He drew his lightsaber. It was in the midst of cutting down stormtroopers that he saw a lone trooper crouched over the body of a trooper whose blaster bolts Finn had deflected. He lowered his lightsaber, deactivated it. A Jedi didn’t kill unless it was necessary; unfortunately, there seemed to be a lot of bloodshed today. 

He was about to run to the stormtrooper, help them, only for a rush of wind up above give Finn chills. 

Kylo Ren was here. BB-6 had to get to safety, if nothing else. 

He hid the map in BB-6, patted the dome reassuringly. “I’ll be fine,” he said. “Just go!”

BB-6 wheeled off. And that was the one bit of good news in this mess because Kylo Ren was coming down that ramp, and Tekka...

Ren — Ben — and Tekka were talking even as Finn hid in the shadows, waiting to strike. Finn couldn’t make out what they were saying, but Tekka was earnest, ever persuasive — and Ben seemed so unwilling to hear any of it, so willing to shut all of it out. 

“I’ll show you the Dark Side,” Ren practically seethed. 

“You may try,” Tekka said. “But you cannot deny the truth that is your family.”

”You’re so right,” Ren said, and cut Tekka down. 

Finn drew his lightsaber, ran towards Ren, only to be frozen in place. He knew that trick; Ben had learned it as a Jedi. Now he was using it against Finn. 

The stormtroopers dragged Finn forward, forcing him to his knees — despite that, Finn held his glare. He wasn’t about to be intimidated by Ren. Not by a long shot. 

“Interesting,” Ren said. “The old man gave it to you.” To the troopers, “Search him.”

Finn was about to say something when he was abruptly jerked up, his pockets rummaged in. It didn’t matter. BB-6 was safe. He hoped. 

“Nothing, sir,” one of the troopers said. 

“Put him onboard,” Ren said. 

It was as he was being dragged away to the shuttle that Finn heard the steely voice of Captain Armitage Hux. “Sir,” he said. “The villagers.”

”Kill them all.” Ren said. 

And though Finn struggled, fought with all his might against the stormtroopers holding his arms, it was no use. He listened as the sound of blasterbolts rang out — and then silence. 


	2. The Lone Scavenger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which scavenger Poe is introduced.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing.
> 
> Author’s Notes: I agonized over what to make Poe’s age here before thinking this is such a radically different AU that it didn’t matter. I’m thinking he’s the same age as Kylo for reasons that will become plot relevant later on.

It was in the interior of a fallen husk of a Star Destroyer that a lone scavenger scaled the heights of the column that held the part he needed. It wasn’t anything he hadn’t done before, in the end — nothing that he hadn’t somehow overcome. That’s what it was like, life on Jakku — you adapted or you died. Even acquiring the salvage, the scavenger used the rope to swing back to the bottom and land gracefully on his feet.

It was a good thing he hadn’t broken his neck, actually. Another day, another scavenging. That’s how it was on Jakku. If he was lucky, he thought, Plutt would give him one portion instead of just a half. 

The scavenger made his way to the exit of the Star Destroyer and unwrapped the wrappings shielding his face from the harsh winds. His name was Poe Dameron, and this was his life on Jakku. Had been ever since his father had left Yavin behind when he was still a child. Now he was nearly thirty, and he’d been waiting on Jakku for his father and mother to come back.

Poe made a makeshift toboggan that he rode to the bottom of the sandy hills, where his speeder was waiting. He hooked his salvage and his staff to the speeder before driving out to Niima Outpost.

Niima Outpost was definitely crowded today, Poe thought as he took his staff and his salvage towards the line, cleaning off the Star Destroyer part that he found even as the others chattered. He greeted them, occasionally striking up conversation with them about one of their finds.

Finally, he reached Unkar Plutt, who examined the piece before saying, “What you brought me today is worth...one half portion.”

Poe supposed he shouldn’t have been surprised. It didn’t keep him from being angry, of course; Plutt was stingy on purpose, really; it was how he kept himself rich and the other scavengers poor. “Are you serious?”

Unkar Plutt narrowed his eyes. “You’re lucky it’s a half, Dameron. I could have given you less. Perhaps bring back more valuable parts and I’ll reconsider.”

Poe could have kicked something. He didn’t. But stars willing, he wanted to.

It was back in the broken down AT-AT that Poe called home that he greeted BB-8, a droid he’d built himself to keep him company on Jakku during those lonely nights. Another scratch on the wall for all the days he’d been here, another meager meal. Poe supposed it was better than nothing, but still...

He prepared his food and sat outside with BB-8, eating his meal while watching the skies for any sign of the ship that had left him there. Nothing, still. They would have to come back at some point, of course. Poe just knew it.

BB-8 was the one who alerted him to the scuffle not far from the AT-AT. Another BB unit, black and white, was caught in Teedo’s net. Poe sighed; of course it was Teedo. He headed down the dune and sighed. “Teedo, buddy,” he said in Teedo’s language. “That droid’s not yours. Let him go.”

Teedo’s response could have made one of the more vulgar scavengers blush.

”Oh, so you want to do this the hard way? Okay.” Poe knelt beside the droid and cut him out of the net. When Teedo moved, Poe took out his knife and brandished it. He didn’t resort to violence except in self-defense or defense of others, but this definitely qualified. After a while of back-and-forth with Teedo, Teedo backed off, leaving BB-8, Poe and this new BB unit (which Poe managed to cut free from his net) on the dunes.

Poe sighed. “Sorry about Teedo,” he said. “He’s got no respect for anyone, I swear...”

The black and white BB unit beeped. BB-8 beeped back. Even listening in to their conversation, Poe could decipher that the former was BB-6, he was separated from his master, and he was alone.

”Niima Outpost has an option where you can send out communications,” Poe said. “Tell you what, maybe I could take you there? Of course, you’ll want to be on the lookout for Plutt...”

BB-6 beeped excitedly. BB-8 joined in, and Poe smiled a bit despite himself. “Come on,” he said. “Let’s go.”


	3. Interrogation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which a lot of stuff happens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. 
> 
> Author’s Notes: Finn goes through hell in this. Fair warning.

 Finn lay on the rack in that moment in the interrogation room, wearing Force-suppressing cuffs. It was dark, but Finn could see the faint shimmering of Kylo Ren’s mask — of the monster that had taken his cousin’s place. 

“Comfortable?” the monster said sarcastically. 

“Not really,” Finn said. 

The monster took a step forward in that moment, black armor and silver mask. To think that inoffensive Ben Solo could have become this...

”I’m impressed,” said the monster. “No one’s been able to get out of you what you did with the map.”

”Looks like you’ll have to do your own dirty work, Ben. If you have the guts.”

 Finn heard a rumbling in his head, a faint rumbling that sounded like the prelude to an avalanche. He struggled against the mental intrusion; Ben had been adept at reading thoughts but he’d never used them as a tool of attack. But this wasn’t Ben. Maybe a monster wearing Ben’s face, but not Ben. 

“Where is it?” Ren said. 

Memory after memory was all but ripped out of his head. Finn gritted his teeth even as it happened. “Go to hell,” he said. 

“Where,” said Ren, “Is it?”

More memories. A boy, building BB-6 for him, teaching him about piloting and fixing things on Uncle Han’s ship. Finn wept, if only for that boy, and for all of them. 

***

Kylo Ren left as soon as Finn was unconscious, the last piece of the map discovered. He never liked interrogations, and interrogating the cousin he’d had to leave behind was something he’d never thought he’d do. He still couldn’t help but feel a certain discomfort in him if only because of that. 

“It’s in a droid,” Kylo said to General Phasma. “A BB unit.”

”Well then,” Phasma said calmly, “If it’s on Jakku we’ll soon have it.”

”I leave that,” said Kylo, “To you.” 

Right now, he needed time to collect his thoughts. Yes, time. That...that was what he needed.  

***

Heading back to Niima Outpost was a long walk, but Poe and his two BB units made it back. He turned to look at BB-6, who was sticking quite close to BB-8.

”You all right?” he said. 

BB-6 let out a series of electronic beeps. 

“Don’t worry. Stay close to me. I know what I’m doing." And if anyone came close to BB-6, Poe wouldn’t hesitate to knock them about with his staff, honestly. 

First stop was Unkar Plutt’s kiosk, where the Crolute examined the five pieces that Poe had found along the way as Poe laid them on the kiosk. “These five pieces are worth...let’s see here, one-half portion each.”

Poe supposed it was better than nothing. He was about to take his portions and leave before Plutt said, “What about those two droids?”

”What about them?” Poe said. 

“I’ll pay for them,” Plutt said, “One twenty portions total.” He slammed practically a heap of portions on the table as he named the price, and Poe couldn’t help but stare at it. This could last him two years or more...but he couldn’t do that to BB-8, or BB-6.

”They’re not for sale,” he said. Then, “Come on, you two. Let’s get you home, BB-6.”

He took his half portions and left. He swore he heard Plutt growl something about “follow Dameron and get those droids”, and he sighed. Time to fend off more people who wanted to steal the droids. 

***

When a stormtrooper said that Ren wanted the prisoner, Finn immediately assumed that things were going to get worse from there. He’d already failed to hold off Ren’s mental intrusion, now...

Finn didn’t expect, once they reached a private corner, the stormtrooper to hand him his lightsaber back and remove their — her — helmet, revealing a young, surprisingly pretty woman with brown hair in three rumpled buns. 

“Just follow me,” she said. “And I promise I can get you out of here.”

Finn furrowed his brows. “What?”

”This is a rescue,” said the girl. “I’m helping you escape.”

”Are you with the Resistance?”

The girl shook her head. “Not really.”

”Why are you helping me?”

”I’ve heard terrible things about what the First Order does to Jedi,” said the girl. "They’re not going to stop at getting the information for your BB unit. They’ll probably convert or kill you.”

Finn could believe that. “Can you fly a ship?”

”I’ve had training,” said the girl. “Just follow my lead.”

She put the helmet back on, and Finn followed her. 

Even heading through the hangar, Finn couldn’t help but think of all the myriad scenarios where things could go wrong. The girl showing him kindness could be caught and reconditioned. He could be caught himself. He could —

 “There is no emotion,” Finn said to himself, “There is peace.”

The girl turned to look at him. “What are you doing?”

”Just talking to myself.”

It was in the TIE fighter that the girl, who had removed her helmet, said, “Have you flown one of these before?”

”Not really. I’ve flown an X-wing, I know that.”

”Someone’s got to man the turrets,” said the girl. “I’m good at shooting.”

Finn nodded.

Taking off was a challenge. Aside from one instance where the TIE fighter was effectively chained and Finn had to shoot it, one could say that their takeoff was a success. The girl whooped in the back. “I like this!”

”Yeah.” Finn took a deep breath. “I guess.” 

“We better take out these cannons,” said the girl. “Otherwise, it’s going to be a short trip.”

She shot. The cannons were disabled just about immediately, and Finn grinned at her — at least as best he could in the pilot’s seat. “Nice shot!”

”I’ve been practicing,” said the girl. 

It was then that it occurred to Finn. “I don’t like this any more than you do, but...we’ve got to go back. To Jakku that is.”

”Are you sure?” said the girl. 

“I’ve got to get my droid before the First Order does.”

The girl hesitated for a moment. Then, “If you have to. What does it look like?”

”Black and white. It’s a BB unit.”

The girl sighed. “We’re going to have to watch our step then.” 

***

Landing on Jakku wasn’t exactly what you call inconspicuous. Even landing there, Rey thought, it was a good thing no one shot them down, at the very least. They stumbled out, and Rey turned to the Jedi. “I don’t know your name, by the way.”

”Finn.”

Rey smiled a bit. “I’m Rey.” She sighed. “And I better get rid of this armor.” Even discarding it felt appropriate; she was no longer a stormtrooper. It felt almost like starting over, at nineteen, when she didn’t get the chance to originally. 

Now, standing in plain black clothes that everyone wore under their stormtrooper armor, she hoped that it could at least stay that way. 

“If I remember the layout of this place,” said Rey, “Niima Outpost isn’t far away. The closest that we can get to civilization. Besides...” She hesitated; even thinking of Tuanul was enough to make her feel sick. 

“Yeah. Civilization should be good.”

They headed towards Niima Outpost. Rey couldn’t say she knew what to do next; after finding Finn’s BB unit, they could very well go...anywhere. Maybe Rey could find her parents. It was the best she could think of, at least. Find her parents. Would they be happy to see their daughter again? Were they even still alive? 

Rey supposed she couldn’t afford to think about that. The best she could do was just help Finn, and then...then she could think about what to do next. 


	4. Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A trio is formed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing.

“Supreme Leader Snoke was explicit; capture the droid if we can but destroy it if we must.”

Phasma and Ren walked along the bridge of the Finalizer, both imposing figures in their own right.

”How capable are your soldiers, General?” Ren said. 

“More than capable.”

”They’re obviously skilled at committing high treason,” Ren said wryly. “Perhaps Leader Snoke should consider making a clone army.”

”We are not the Empire,” said Phasma. “We are far stronger than that.”

”Then I pray you don’t disappoint me. If harm comes to the BB-6 unit, the consequences will be dire.”

”You overstep your place, Ren.”

”I want,” said Ren, “That map. For your sake, General, I suggest you get it.”

Ren left, leaving a seething, calculating Phasma in his wake. 

***

It was after stumbling to get water that Finn heard the commotion. A man, curly-haired and wearing tan scavenger clothes, fighting off thugs trying to hurt BB-6 and a strange orange and white BB unit that Finn couldn’t say he’d seen before. 

Rey ran over with Finn, only for the man to knock the thugs to the ground like it was no problem at all. The man — who seemed so fragile, Finn thought — knelt next to the two droids, talking softly to them. Then BB-6 beeped, and the man spoke. “You found him? That’s great news!”

Even meeting with the scavenger later, he explained everything — all the way up to the point of this. 

”So I guess I owe you,” Finn said, “For looking after my droid.”

The scavenger shrugged. “It’s no issue. He was in need, I stepped in. It’s just what I do.” A pause. “I’m Poe, by the way. Poe Dameron.”

”Finn,” Finn said. He wasn’t ready to reveal his last name on this planet; you never knew who was listening in. 

“Rey,” Rey said. 

Poe paused. “So...both of you are with the Resistance? I can’t say I’ve met Resistance fighters before.”

”He is,” Rey said. “I...ran away.”

”A runaway, huh? Intriguing.” Poe looked at them, and there was a sort of warmth in his eyes that Finn liked. “BB-6 says that he’s on a secret mission; he has to get back to your base.”

”Not so loud,” Finn said, “But yeah. He’s carrying a map that leads straight to my father, and everyone’s after it.”

Poe nodded, solemnly. “Maybe I could help,” he said. “BB-8 too.”

It was in that moment that BB-8 beeped urgently, and Finn looked over. His heart sank. “We better run,” he said. 

He took Rey’s hand. It wasn’t exactly what you just did, but he wasn’t about to leave Rey behind.

“I know how to run,” Rey said, “Without you holding my hand!”

“I’m not leaving you behind!”

”You done flirting back there?” Poe shouted from up ahead. “Come on — stay close. I know the market pretty well.”

Finn could only trust him. 

They ran, ducked inside tents to take refuge from TIE fighters swooping overhead, ran again. Finn had a feeling that they could all run forever. Finally, they reached the TIE fighter, only for a stray blast to blow it up. 

“What now?” Finn said. 

“We might have a chance,” Poe said, “In that quadjumper.”

”What about that ship?” Finn said. 

“That one’s garbage!” Poe said. 

“Wait.” Even as they drew closer, Finn said, “That’s the Falcon! But what’s it doing here?”

”Plutt stole it. My boss. That thing hasn’t flown in years.”

The quadjumper blew up in that moment thanks to a stray blast, and Poe sighed. “The garbage will do.”

They headed up the ramp in that moment, and Finn spoke. “I’ll man the turrets. Poe — can you fly?”

The scavenger grinned. “I can fly anything.”

”Good. We’re gonna need it.”

***

Even running up to the cockpit with Rey, Rey looked over at Poe, a bit skeptical. “Anything, really?” she said. 

Poe nodded. “I’ve never left the planet,” he said. “But I’m pretty good.”

They sat up in the Falcon’s cockpit and Poe primed the engines. He’d never left Jakku before. But to save his new friends, he’d do what he could. 

They lifted off, and even maneuvering through the graveyard of ships where Poe would scavenge, Poe noticed that Finn was a good shot — great, actually. They maneuvered through tunnels, until finally, they reached the bright blue expanse of Jakku’s sky. 

Poe couldn’t help but feel a certain terror. He needed to get back to Jakku later, just to see his family again. And yet, at the same time, there was a certain freedom he’d never felt before and wouldn’t mind feeling again. 


	5. Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An old foe appears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing.

It was in the main hold of the Falcon that the three congratulated each other, and Poe couldn’t help but feel a certain sense of, for lack of a better word, belonging. Was this what it was like, he thought, to be surrounded by friends who weren’t solely BB-8? Eventually, though, BB-6 interrupted them, and Poe knelt down next to the droid. 

“We’ll get you home,” he said. “Wherever home is.”

”The Ileneum system,” Finn said. “D’Qar."

”That’s a can do,” Poe said. “Now we better see what sorts of nasty surprises Plutt left on the Falcon...”

Even sorting that out (with Rey and Finn’s help; they were pretty good mechanics), it wasn’t long before a new problem called their attention — namely, a damaged motivator and the threat of the ship being flooded with poisonous gas. Poe sighed once he fixed it. “Plutt never understood how ships worked,” he said. “It figures.”

”I already hate that guy,” Finn said. 

“Well,” Poe said, “You’ll have to get in line.”

The lights went out in the Falcon, and Finn, Poe and Rey scrambled up to the Falcon’s cockpit to see an eerie red glow up ahead. “First Order?” 

“Looks like some sort of smuggling ship,” Rey said. “First Order ships are usually bigger.”

Poe nodded. “We better arm ourselves just in case.”

Even as the Falcon parked itself in the hangar of the ship, however, as the door banged down, Poe realized that it really was just an old man, and his Wookiee friend. A smile came across the old man’s weary face as he said, “Chewie, we’re home.” Then, turning to Finn, Poe and Rey, “Finn?”

”Uncle Han!” Finn said, and Poe and Rey looked at each other in astonishment; of all the things they expected, it definitely wasn’t that. “What are you doing here?”

”Was about to say the same about you, Finn. You look like hell. How’s the other guy?”

“He was captured,” Rey said, “By the First Order. I helped him escape.”

”Well...thank you, for getting my nephew out of there,” Han said. 

“We need your help,” Finn said. “There’s a map to my father, and we have to get it to D’Qar before the First Order finds it...”

Han nodded. “I gotcha. I was actually running some errands for Leia myself.”

Finn nodded. “Smuggling jobs?”

”Pretty much. Medical supplies, things like that. We’ll need to get them on the Falcon...”

It was while they were doing that that the alarms on the ship went off. The group ran towards the surveillance system before Han sighed. “Bounty hunters. They must have tracked us from Nantoon. Wait a second...”

Han’s face grew pale. Then, “You three get below deck and don’t move until I say so. And don’t even think about taking the Falcon.”

”What about the droids?” Poe said. 

“I’ll look after them,” Han said. 

Even as Poe, Rey and Finn clambered below deck, footsteps, clanking metallic footsteps, echoed over them. Poe craned his head, noticing boots that looked vaguely Mandalorian from what he’d read in holobooks. Then, a filtered, almost crackly voice. “Been a while, Solo.”

”Fett?” Han said. “What, you wake up from your nap in the sarlaac pit to find us?”

”I have to give you credit, Solo; your little stunt was quite the bit of luck. But I’m hard to kill.” 

Poe couldn’t help but look over at Rey and Finn in disbelief. Fett, of all people? 

“The First Order gave me an offer I couldn’t refuse,” Fett said. “That black and white BB unit is coming with me.”

”Big talk from someone who fell in a sarlaac pit. You didn’t win then and you won’t win now.”

Blasterfire rang out above deck. Then someone fell. Poe stiffened, only for Han to lift the lid of their hiding place and say, “He’s fine. He’s just unconscious. Had to also crush his comlink to make sure he didn’t get back to his First Order buddies.”

It was taking him onboard the Falcon that Poe said, “Where do we put him?”

”Brig,” Han said. “Should be safe there. And then we’re going to get your droid on a clean ship. If Fett found us, the rest of his friends aren’t far behind. Maz Kanata’s your best bet...”

***

Boba Fett stirred in the brig once Han and the others left, and he walked towards the comm system before punching in the number for the Supremacy. 

Snoke’s voice came over the comm, almost fatherly in nature. “You found them?”

”They have the droid you want,” Fett said. “Han Solo and the others. And it’s aboard the Millennium Falcon. They’re on their way to Takodana.”

A hearty laugh. “Well done, Fett. I shall be sending my apprentice to Takodana to deal with these vermin.” A beat. “And you are where?”

”In the Falcon’s brig.”

Snoke tsked softly. “Disappointing, but your success far outweighs your failure. The last piece to Skywalker will be in our grasp, and he will be obliterated.” A beat. “And your payment will be...plentiful for what you’ve done.”

”Thank you.” 

***

It was in the antechamber of Starkiller Base that Snoke met with General Phasma, Captain Hux, and Kylo Ren. 

“The droid will soon be recovered,” said Snoke. “Our contact’s information will prove most useful.” A beat. “And the weapon, Phasma?”

”It is ready,” Phasma said. “I believe we’ve stayed in the shadows for too long. Now we must strike.”

”Indeed, General. Go now,” Snoke said to Phasma and Hux. “Oversee preparations.”

”As you wish, Supreme Leader,” Phasma said. Kylo Ren knew it was far from sincere. Hux followed her, though not before Phasma sent a sort of glare over to Kylo. 

Kylo was alone with Snoke now. 

“There’s been an awakening,” Snoke said to him. He towered over Kylo, formidable, magnificent. “Have you felt it?”

”Yes.”

”There’s something more. The droid we seek is aboard the Millennium Falcon, in the hands of your father...Han Solo.”

Even that knowledge made Kylo’s chest clench. His father. After a decade, he was here? 

“He means nothing to me,” he said, but Snoke saw through that lie too well. 

“Even you,” he said, “Master of the Knights of Ren, have never faced such a test.”

”By the grace of your training, I will not be seduced.”

”We shall see,” Snoke said. “We shall see.”

His hologram vanished, leaving Kylo alone in the antechamber with the new task he had to face. 


	6. Takodana

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A crucial piece of information makes all the difference.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing.

They pulled in to Takodana and it was there that Poe actually got to see the beauty of the planet for the first time. The vast green trees, the sparkling lakes, the castle up ahead...

”Are you okay?” Finn, next to him. 

“I didn’t think there could be that much green in the whole galaxy,” Poe finally said. 

Han looked over at him, and Poe could swear he could detect sadness in the old man’s eyes.

They landed, and Poe ran out in that moment, taking in the soft, cool air against his face, the sight of the water — imagine that, a planet full of water! — the bright blue skies. He thought he could hear Rey speaking with Han, which got clearer as they walked out. 

“...I’ll be accompanying you to D’Qar, but I may have to leave you.” Rey sounded regretful as she spoke. “My family’s out there, and I need to get home to them.”

”You never know where family will show up, um...”

”Rey.”

”Yeah. But Maz can help you. She can probably get you transportation to the Outer Rim from there.”

Poe’s heart sank in that moment. Rey, leaving? After they’d come so far? He could understand why, at least, but still...

Rey and Han looked normal, at least, even as they approached Poe. “Beautiful, isn’t it?” Han said. 

"It really is.” Poe wasn’t ready to bring up the possibility of Rey leaving — even the possibility. “I don’t think I’ve seen anything like it in my life.”

”It’s really something. I don’t think I caught your name either, um...”

”Poe. Poe Dameron.”

”Dameron?” Han smiled. “Actually knew a Kes Dameron back in the day. Lives on Yavin IV.”

”My father’s alive?” After twenty-one years, finally there was some good news about his father. “Can you take me to him? After D’Qar, that is.”

”Maz can handle it, like I said,” Han said. “Promise."

Even as they followed Han towards the castle, Han said, “Maz is a bit of an acquired taste, so whatever you do, don’t stare.”

”At what?” Rey and Poe said. 

“Any of it.” Han said. 

The castle doors opened, revealing a whole bunch of aliens and humans alike mingling and talking and drinking. It was near the end that a small, wizened alien with goggles on her head that reminded Poe almost of scavenging goggles shouted over the din, “Han Solo!”

The merriment stopped to stare at the group of them. “Oh boy,” Han muttered. He waved a bit. “Hey, Maz!”

Maz got closer, and she said, almost mischievously, “Where’s my boyfriend?”

”Chewie’s outside,” Han said, “Fixing the Falcon.”

”I like that Wookiee,” Maz purred, and Rey looked over at Poe, clearly having her mind taken in directions that she didn’t think possible. “I sense you need something,” Maz said. “Desperately. Let’s get to it.”

They followed Maz, and Poe looked, really looked, at the cuisine on display — he didn’t think there would be so much of it. Fruit, vegetables, meat, potatoes, everything. Even sitting down, he reached tentatively for a fruit before Maz said, “Help yourself.”

Poe bit into the fruit. It was ripe and round, sweet and juicy, a sort of sensation that he didn’t think was possible. 

The group explained their situation, and Maz scoffed in amusement. “A map,” she said, “To Skywalker himself. You’re right back in the mess.”

”We’re both going as far as D’Qar, Poe and I,” Rey said, “And then we’re going our separate ways.” A beat. “My parents are still out there, and I need to find them.”

Maz looked at her with the utmost pity. “Child, I’m sorry. Whoever you’re looking for, they’re not coming back. You already know the truth, don’t you?”

”They have to,” Rey argued. “I have to at least try. And Poe needs to find his father.”

“I can’t just leave, though,” Poe said. “Rey, you don’t even know if your parents are alive.”

”I don’t know that they’re dead either!” Rey stood up then, and Poe doubted that he had ever actually seen her angry. Startling was putting it mildly. 

Maz gestured towards two aliens in the corner. “They can grant you transport to the Outer Rim. From there...you can find your family.”

Rey nodded. “Thank you.”

”Rey, you can’t just leave,” Poe said. 

“BB-6 is safe. Or will be,” Rey said. “Poe, you want to find your father too, don’t you? Come with me.”

Poe swallowed. “Not now.”

Rey nodded. “Take care of yourself,” she said, and left. 

It was as Poe watched Rey leave that he swore he heard something — the sound of a crying child. He headed away from the others, down the steps, following the sounds towards some sort of storage box. Carefully, he opened it, finding the lightsaber inside, and touched it —

— and it was then that he was overwhelmed by a flooding of images. Voices. Too many of them. A long corridor, a flaming temple, a rainy night with a group of masked figures, a snowy forest where one of the masked figures, who looked almost avian in nature, lunged out at Poe —

— and finally Jakku. Eight year old Poe, his mother crouching beside him, saying, “We’ll come back for you, baby, we promise.” That was the worst of all. Even as Poe fell backwards, back into the hallway, he blinked, tears forming in his eyes. Maz stood in the hallway, looking at him with more pity.

”That was...” Poe blinked again. “What was that?”

Maz walked over towards him. “That lightsaber,” she said, “Was Luke’s, and his father’s before him, and now, it calls to you.”

”Maz, you don’t get it, do you?” Poe said. “I’m not a hero. I’m just a scavenger.”

”The Force is in all of us.”

”Rey’s right — I do need to find my father. And my mother.”

”I’m sorry, Poe,” Maz said. “Your mother is dead.”

Poe had to steady himself against the wall. “The First Order?”

Maz nodded, solemnly. “That’s why she took you so far to Jakku, wasn’t it? To protect you.”

”Yeah.” Poe blinked. Tears were already running down his face and there wasn’t a thing he could do to stop it. “At least...I can make her proud.”

Tentatively, he took the lightsaber and ignited it. He twirled it, experimentally, and then deactivated it. Somehow, it felt right, like he was stepping into a position he was meant to be in. 

“You already are, Poe.”

It was then that the castle shook, and Maz hissed, “Those beasts! They must have found us. I can feel it.”

Poe took his new lightsaber. Then, “We better go help them.”

Even racing up towards the top, they met Rey in the courtyard. “Rey!” Poe exclaimed. “Good to have you back.”

”It was the First Order. The Republic’s gone,” Rey said. “I never thought they’d do it...”

They were interrupted by stormtroopers shooting at them. Rey stared as Poe ignited his lightsaber. “Where did you get that?”

”Long story,” Poe said. “Really.”

It was in the middle of the fight that one of the stormtroopers drew out some sort of mace-like weapon. They faced Rey, and Poe saw the look of dread in her eyes as the stormtrooper shouted, “Traitor!”

Rey drew her staff. “You don’t want to do this,” she said. 

The stormtrooper charged at her, Rey fending off his blows pretty well, but a staff couldn’t hold off the clumsiness of a lace. It was a shot from Chewie’s bowcaster that felled the trooper, and Rey looked at the body, clearly mourning him. 

“Friend of yours?” Poe said softly, and Rey nodded. “I’m sorry.”

They didn’t have time to mourn even as the stormtroopers cuffed them. Even as they were cuffed, the Skywalker lightsaber falling from Poe’s hand, Poe noticed a black-clad, almost avian figure approaching.

”I know him,” Poe said. “I’ve seen him.”

”Yeah.” Rey sighed. “Kylo Ren usually shows up just when you think things can’t get any worse.”

Finn, meanwhile, looked like he was about to charge, lightsaber or no, and Han...Han just looked heartbroken. Poe didn’t think he’d seen anything like it, actually. 

Ren walked with his hands clenched into fists at his sides, and paused when he approached them. 

“So, who talks first?” Poe said. “You talk first, we talk first?”

“Don’t provoke him, Poe,” Finn said. 

Ren tilted his head, almost kath hound like. “The scavenger I’ve heard so much about.”

”It’s very hard to understand you,” Poe said. “With the apparatus and all...”

"Poe, don’t,” Rey said. 

Han spoke up. “Ben, please,” he said, “They have nothing to do with this. Poe and Rey.”

So the monster had a name before Kylo Ren. Ben. 

Han continued. “Finn too. Let him go.”

”A noble attempt. Foolish, but noble. You are, however, now in my custody.” Ren turned to the other stormtroopers. “Put them onboard.”

And being escorted to the shuttle, Poe felt a pit in the depths of his stomach. They had failed. The droids were now in the hands of the enemy too. They had to find a way out of this somehow. 

Somehow. 

 

 


	7. Resist

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kylo interrogates Poe. It comes back to bite him on the butt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. 
> 
> Author’s Notes: There will be canon-equivalent torture in here. Fair warning.

If not for the circumstances, Poe supposed he could appreciate seeing snow for the first time. Just about all of the planet was covered in it, coated in the stuff, and Poe wished that he’d worn heavier clothing. His scavenger gear, while useful for battling Jakku’s harsh heat and winds, was pretty lightweight against snow. Rey turned to look at him. “It is pretty cold,” she said. “We used to do survival training for snowstorms on the planet — if you can call it a planet anymore.”

”What do you mean?” Poe said. 

Rey swallowed. “They turned it into a base — drilled through it to create a superweapon. It already obliterated the Hosnian system, and D’Qar is likely next.”

One of the stormtroopers roughly prodded her with their blaster. “Keep walking, traitor.”

”Leave her alone,” Finn said. 

They walked into the holding cells, where Poe glared up at Kylo. “If you think you can hold us forever, you’re wrong.”

”We’ll see,” Kylo said, and left.

***

Trying to get information out of Finn and BB-6 was far from easy, actually. It was one of those instances where Kylo doubted he could damage BB-6, or interrogate Finn a second time. He’d never enjoyed the interrogations. It wasn’t like the first time he had interrogated someone, where he had thrown up afterwards. But he still couldn’t say he enjoyed it. He wasn’t a sadist. Hux and Phasma, maybe, but not him. 

Kylo supposed that he could speak with one of Finn Skywalker’s companions. Get the necessary information out of them. It would be interesting, at least, to see how exactly they got in this situation...

***

It was later that Kylo actually came back, and Poe strained against his restraints, already angry. “What did you do to BB-6 and Finn?” he  demanded. 

“Nothing they haven’t earned.”

”They did nothing to you."

”Nothing that you know. Your ‘friends’ are murderers, traitors and thieves.”

”That’s something coming from you.” Poe already wished that his hands weren’t effectively bound in that moment and that he had his lightsaber back. 

Kylo tilted his head. “You still want to kill me.”

”That happens,” Poe said, “When you’re being hunted by a creature in a mask.”

Silence. Kylo, after a long period of hesitation, took off his mask with a _click-hiss_. Poe didn’t know what he expected, truly — someone scarred like Vader? A monster beyond his wildest imaginings? Instead, the face behind the mask was young, thin and pale, framed by locks of black hair, too-expressive brown eyes staring out at Poe. 

Of all the things Poe expected, it definitely wasn’t this. 

Kylo walked towards Poe, and Poe was struck how almost angelic he looked without the mask. An angelic face for a twisted mind. Like some of the horror holos he’d found to watch occasionally. 

“The map,” Kylo said, and even his voice was softer and deeper and prettier than Poe expected. “You’ve seen it, haven’t you? Did the droid show it to you?”

”None of your business.” Of course, BB-6 had shown them a piece of it en route to Takodana, while Fett was in the brig. Poe’s blood couldn’t help but freeze; Kylo would likely extract that crucial bit of information from him and there wouldn’t be a damn thing that Poe could do to stop it. 

“We have the rest of the navigational chart, but we need the last piece.”

”And that’ll convince me to help you because...?”

Kylo ignored him. “And somehow, you convinced the droid to show it to you. You. A scavenger.” A beat. “You know I can take whatever I want.”

”I’d like to see you try.”

Famous last words. It was in that moment that Poe heard a rumbling inside his skull, like the prelude to the ground splitting open. He grimaced, fighting against the intrusion, but even that felt like pounding up against a durasteel wall. Kylo spoke in that moment, even as the rumbling continued, even as the first memory was extracted — Jakku, and his days there. 

“You’ve been so lonely,” Kylo murmured. “So afraid to leave.” His voice was at Poe’s ear. “At night, desperate to sleep, you imagine the skies — flying through them, free from the planet. And...something else...” 

The island. Even seeing that, Poe already couldn’t help but be angry. He didn’t get to touch that island. He could pry that island from Poe’s cold, dead hands, actually. 

“I see it,” Kylo said. “I see the island.” And then Han appeared — Han, teaching Poe en route to Takodana how to play sabaac. “And Han Solo. He’s like the father you never had. He would have disappointed you.”

”You don’t know anything about him.”

”I know plenty. And I know you’ve seen the map. It’s in there. And now you’ll give it to me.”

”Like Riia you will.”

”We’ll see.”

It was deep in his head that he heard the voice. Kylo’s voice. _It gives me no pleasure, but I will take what I need..._

Kylo dug. Stars willing he dug. And Poe struggled, struggled until...something gave. Stars willing something gave. 

He saw a boy, obviously Kylo, younger and gawkier and more awkward, dotted in freckles and moles, growing up with a younger Finn, berated by his uncle during training while his aunt apologized frequently for his uncle’s cruelty. “He has his problems, Ben,” she’d say. “I’m sorry.”

He saw a flaming Temple, the same flaming Temple from his vision. He saw Ben, head buried in his hands in the cockpit of some ship, en route somewhere, anywhere...

And then his training. Taking on the mantle of Kylo Ren. Constantly training, wondering if he would ever, truly, be good enough. 

“You,” Poe said, “You’re afraid...that you’ll never be as strong as Darth Vader!”

Kylo drew away, almost as if burned, and Poe exhaled harshly. Of all the things he expected, it wasn’t that. And even after Kylo left, Poe was left shaken, wondering what other things he could do. 


	8. Testing Limits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poe and co. escape.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing.

“The scavenger resisted you?!”

To say that Snoke was furious was putting it mildly, actually. Kylo didn’t flinch, but he couldn’t help but feel at least a sting of shame. 

“He is strong in the Force,” Kylo said. “Untrained, but stronger than he knows.”

”And the droid?” Snoke growled. 

“Captured.”

”Ah. Interesting.” Snoke seemed slightly mollified, but only slightly. “What I’m curious about, Kylo Ren, is why you couldn’t get the information out of the droid. You could have made things much simpler.” A beat. “You couldn’t bear to destroy the droid, could you? You really haven’t learned.”

”I — ”

”You haven’t learned my lessons. Finn Skywalker should mean nothing to you. The past is insignificant; let it die. Kill it, if you must. It’s the only way to become what you were meant to be.”

”I understand.”

”I pray you do,” Snoke said, “For your sake. It’s not usual for you to disappoint me like this, Kylo Ren.”

***

It was struggling against his restraints that it occurred to Poe. He’d heard stories, in the past, about Jedi mind tricks and what they could do. Was it possible, he wondered, to try it out now? After all, after what he had done to get Ren out of his head, he could do anything, couldn’t he? 

“You will remove these restraints,” he said to the stormtrooper, “And leave this cell with the door open.”

”What?” said the trooper. 

Damn. “You will remove these restraints,” said Poe, “And leave this cell with the door open.”

A beat. “I’ll tighten these restraints,” said the trooper, “Scavenger scum.”

It was then that Poe swore that he felt that mysterious energy, something simply giving. “You will remove these restraints and leave this cell with the door open.”

The trooper repeated, “I will remove these restraints and leave this cell with the door open.”

He did just that. When Poe added that he would drop his weapon, the trooper did that too. 

Poe rubbed his wrists. How he did all this, he had no idea. He found, however, that he liked it. With this, he could do anything. 

He needed, of course, to get his lightsaber back. How he was going to do it, he had no idea.

***

”You don’t want to do this, Lightning.” Rey looked at the stormtrooper in front of her.

”You’re right,” said the trooper — a young woman not much older than Rey. “I don’t. But you’re a traitor to the cause.” A beat. “Why did you free that pilot? Why did you betray us like this?”

”I couldn’t fire on villagers.”

A beat. 

“You didn’t see them, Lightning. They were vulnerable; they did nothing wrong. The First Order is so fanatical they’ll kill everyone in their way.” 

Lightning snorted. “They were accomplices. Captain Hux’s report told us as much.”

”So he’s rewriting history now?” 

A beat. 

“I was there, Lightning. You have to believe me. They didn’t even defend themselves.”

”You killed your own comrades.” 

“If I could have, I would have saved them. Really."

Slowly, Lightning nodded. 

Rey continued. “Come with me. We can keep you safe. I promise.”

Silence. Then, “It’s too late.”

”No, it’s not. You can still get out of here while you have the chance. It’s not betrayal. It’s freedom.” A beat. “Don’t you want that?”

Lightning paused. Then, slowly, she walked over towards Rey. “I can’t go with you. But...” She unlocked the restraints holding Rey back. “Run. If you value yourself in any way, just run. Hux is planning on reconditioning you, and you know what that means. I’ll probably be executed for this, or reconditioned, but you need to save yourself. You have to hurry.”

”You don’t have to stay behind.”

”Just go. You’re more important, Rey. You’re my friend.”

Rey rubbed her wrists, blinking tears from her eyes, and nodded. 

***

His lightsaber was stored in the armory. Even getting it, Poe couldn’t help but be relieved. Getting the weapons for the others too, he had a feeling that they’d be relieved to have them back. It was after breaking the others out that Poe sighed. “We need to get to the Falcon.”

”There’s probably a First Order shuttle you can take,” Rey said. “Hopefully we can get out of there from here.”

Poe nodded. “Hopefully.”

It was on their way to the hangar that they ran into the young woman — a very pretty young woman with an almost-diamond shaped face and a medallion of a crescent moon around her neck. “We were actually looking for you,” said the young woman. “I’m Paige, by the way. General Organa sent me.”

”Poe,” Poe said. 

Paige continued. “We’re thinking of blowing up the base from the inside. I’ve got explosives. We’re trying to take down this thing with everything we have, and this is no exception. We have to find a way to disable the shields.”

”We can’t just do that,” Rey said. “Unless...” 

***

They cornered Captain Hux in the corridor after picking up the rest of Paige’s squad, where he barely flinched despite being cornered at blasterpoint. “RA-2000,” he said coldly, “You’ve returned.”

”I don’t want to do this,” Rey said. “But I will if I have to.” She drew her blaster. “Lower the shields.” 

“You think I’ll lower the shields for some Resistance vermin? You will lose,” Hux said. “Your fleet are savages and war criminals, and you’ll get what you deserve.”

Poe looked over at Paige, who looked downright nauseous. He took a deep breath. This wasn’t going anywhere. But he was testing the limits of his Jedi mind trick. Maybe he could...

Poe waved his hand. “You will lower the shields for us.”

Hux tilted his head. Then, “I will lower the shields for you.”

He did. The others looked over at Poe in amazement. Finn spoke. “How did you do that?”

”I don’t know.” Poe sighed. “Let’s get going. We’ve got a fleet to save.” 


	9. Falling Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The decision Finn makes affects everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Placing the explosives was relatively easy. Paige was pretty good at handling explosives, just to begin with, and in time, they had explosives lined up around the base. Han didn’t leave with them; he had someplace he needed to be...which was why Poe watched as he stepped onto that long bridge to confront a still-masked Kylo Ren. Poe’s breath hitched; he could be killed. Already, he felt a sense of dread coming over him. 

Ben, Han called him. Poe already knew — he had all but plucked that memory out of Kylo’s consciousness when he’d repelled his attack. A simple name, with so much power behind it. Ben Solo sounded meek and mild; it didn’t have much of a place with the man who had done all this. Ben. It sounded so dissonant, so simple, too simple actually. 

“Han Solo,” Ren said. “You came back.”

Han stepped forward. “Take off that mask,” he said. “You don’t need it.”

Ren was calm. “What do you expect to see if I do?”

”The face of my son.”

Paige stared at Poe, flabbergasted. “Him?” she said. “Him, of all people. This creature is Han’s son?”

”Must be.” Poe couldn’t say he was surprised; it was only logical from what he had seen from  Kylo’s memories. It didn’t mean that it sat well with him, actually.

There was silence from down below. Then, slowly, Kylo Ren unmasked, and Poe swore that Rey’s breath hitched in shock, as did Paige’s — she clearly hadn’t expected something like that. 

“Your son is gone,” Ren said. “He was weak and foolish like his father, so I destroyed him.”

”That’s what Snoke wants you to believe,” said Han, “But it’s not true. My son is alive.”

”No. The Supreme Leader is wise.”

”Snoke is using you for your power. When he gets what he wants, he’ll crush you,” Han said. “”You know it’s true.”

Kylo seemed to shirk away as Han said it, seeming almost lost, like a small boy. It was remarkable how he could look like that, in that moment. What had Snoke done to him? Then, “It’s too late.”

”No, it’s not,” Han insisted. “Leave here with me. Come home. We — I miss you.”

 Silence. When Kylo spoke again, Poe was shocked to see that he was crying. Not outright sobbing, but tears were on his cheeks nonetheless. “I’m being torn apart,” he said. “I want to be free of this pain. I know what I have to do but I don’t know if I have the strength to do it. Will you help me?”

”Yes. Anything.” And Poe knew that Han loved his son, with all his heart. 

Kylo’s helmet fell to the floor. For a moment, it looked like he would hand over his lightsaber —

Something was wrong in the Force. Desperately wrong, actually. It seemed to be all but shrieking a warning even as the sun went out, as the light turned red on Kylo’s face. Kylo’s face steeled, and arranged itself into a sort of glare actually, and Finn ignited his lightsaber from up above. 

Kylo looked up in that moment at Finn, and the sort of look on his face could have made a krayt dragon flinch. “You.” Then he turned to Han. “You brought them here to kill me!”

”Kiddo, I’d never — ”

”This was all a set up, wasn’t it? I should have listened to the Supreme Leader,” Kylo said. “The Resistance is incapable of love, and compassion. If they care about you, it’s only as far as they could use you. I should have known. After Skywalker, I should have known."

”I don’t want to kill you.”

Finn didn’t walk, but ran down the steps towards Kylo, lightsaber ignited. Poe and the others followed. Kylo froze just about all of them save for Poe and Finn. 

“You wanted a fight, Finn Skywalker?” he said. “You got one.”

The two of them — three of them — dueled, even as Poe tried, vainly, not to fall over the edge of the bridge. It was difficult. It was  literal balancing act, with Kylo pressing his blade against Finn’s so hard that crossguards burned through fabric. Finn screamed, and Poe lunged at Kylo, allowing Finn to fall to the ground wounded. Now it was Poe against Kylo on the bridge, and Poe was already angry enough at what he had done to Finn and skilled enough in combat to drive Kylo down one end of the bridge. They pressed, Kylo trying again with the blade (and Poe could swear that he could feel it crackling near his skin) before Poe pressed back, at least enough to keep it from frying his skin. They fought, and their lightsabers struggled against each other. It was during the fight that Kylo shouted over the din, “You need a teacher! I can show you the ways of the Force!”

”Never,” Poe said. 

They fought, struggled, and something gave. The lightsaber went through Poe’s saber hand, the limb and the lightsaber falling into the abyss. Poe watched it, feeling sick that he had lost something so valuable, something Maz had trusted him with. Kylo, meanwhile, looked horrified at what he’d done, even shocked. Poe glared up at him. “If you want to kill me, get on with it.”

”I don’t want to kill you, Poe.”

Kylo stood over him and deactivated his lightsaber. “Come with me.”

”I never would.”

“I told you, I don’t want to kill you, Poe. Really.”

”And I won’t let you.” Maz’s voice, this time. She’d come out of her stasis, as had some of the others. “Run,” she said to Poe. “As quickly as you can possibly go. Just run. I’ll catch up with you.”

Poe nodded, limping away, meeting up with Rey and the others on the other side, where Rey handed off the unconscious Finn to Chewie. She looked scared, and Poe couldn’t say he blamed her. They ran as quickly as they could, over to the shuttle that they’d first been taken in on as they headed back to D’Qar. 

 


End file.
